Another Nine Raises $2M to Scale 24/7 Indoor Golf Simulator Franchise Model
Another Nine just raised $2M, and the name is doing some work here. Because while most golf concepts are still trying to squeeze daylight, tee times, staffing, weather, and patience into the same little box, Ethan Grob and Brett Jewell built a way to play the other nine whenever life finally stops yelling.
Covington, Kentucky-based Another Nine is a 24/7 indoor golf simulator franchise with private suites, Trackman technology, BYOB energy, hourly booking, no membership required, and no on-site staff needed. That is not golf cosplay with better lighting. That is operating leverage wearing spikes.
The round closed in April 2026 and was announced May 7, 2026. The $2M came entirely from existing investors, whose names remain undisclosed, but the signal is loud enough without the logo parade. Existing investors came back in because the company has already signed 65+ franchise territories across 16 states since July 2025, reached operational profitability in Q1 2026, and built a model with 40%+ target unit-level EBITDA margins.
That is the part founders should study. Another Nine did not raise on vibes. It raised on a clean wedge, proven demand, disciplined unit economics, and a franchise system that makes the landlord, the golfer, and the operator all see the green.
Ethan Grob, Co-Founder & CEO, brings serious product and growth scar tissue from Shipt, Kroger, 84.51°, and dunnhumby. Brett Jewell, Co-Founder & COO, brings the sports, operations, marketing, and execution side. Brothers-in-law, 2 dads trying to play more golf, suddenly building a national indoor golf franchise. America remains ridiculous. Occasionally, beautifully so.
The supporting cast matters too. Abbey Beten is shaping the digital experience side of the business while Sydney Warnke is helping drive marketing coordination across a franchise network growing faster than most people can finish a bucket of range balls. Nirali, working across franchise operations, is helping turn a high-convenience concept into something repeatable across markets. Quiet operators are usually the ones carrying the real weight while everybody else posts motivational nonsense beside a standing desk.
The company started with its first owned location in Columbia-Tusculum in March 2024, opened Montgomery Quarter in February 2026, and now runs from SparkHaus at 727 Madison Ave, Covington, KY 41011. First franchisee-owned locations are expected to open in spring 2026, with 3 Louisville locations planned. The team is also looking to grow from 7 full-time employees to 14–17 by the end of 2026.
The real muscle is A9OS, the proprietary operating system behind bookings, memberships, access control, facility operations, and reporting. Pair that with Trackman’s club and ball data, private suites, 24/7 access, and a self-service model, and suddenly “indoor golf” starts looking less like a rainy-day backup plan and more like a scalable hospitality product with a driver in its hand.
And maybe that is the bigger story underneath the funding. Golf used to sell aspiration. Another Nine is selling access, convenience, autonomy, and time. Different decade. Different customer. Same obsession with finding the sweet spot before everybody else hears the sound off the club face.